by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports

by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS - Joe Philbin took to the podium inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday and kicked off the NFL scouting combine with a forceful, and obviously prepared, statement addressing the workplace harassment fiasco that rocked the NFL.

It was the first public comments by the Miami Dolphins coach since the release of the Ted Wells report last week that detailed the bullying and harassment that prompted second-year tackle Jonathan Martin to leave the team in October and left Richie Incognito in hot water.

A day after the Dolphins fired offensive line coach Jim Turner and head trainer Kevin O'Neill, Philbin came with the declarations you'd expect to hear when there's turmoil. He maintained he's responsible. He said the buck stops with him. He pledged to uncover every stone and fix it.

Necessary statements, yes.

And basic, NFL Crisis Management 101 stuff.

Philbin also sounded like a man in way over his head. When he landed the Miami job in 2012, it was Philbin's first head-coaching role on any level. Turns out, he was woefully ill-equipped.

The Wells report gave Philbin a pass, deflecting blame for the failed leadership that contributed to an environment that would allow a bully with a track record, Incognito, to become such an internal force.

Yet, even after listening to Philbin explain himself, it's tough to buy the Wells conclusion.

Philbin claimed some ownership, saying, "I want everyone to know, I'm the one responsible for the workplace environment."

Granted, several of the egregious incidents detailed in the Wells report occurred away from the Dolphins' headquarters. But the tone was set at the workplace.

The coach said that he didn't have any idea that it was so bad. Shame on him. It's his job to be in the loop. That point was amplified by several coaches Thursday.

"I don't know what all happened down there, but ... you've got to have a strong locker room and as a leader you've got to know what's going on," Lovie Smith, the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach, told USA TODAY Sports.

"Having relationships with the guys, that's what it's all about. You can't be a head coach and not know what's going on. If you have strong relationship with the guys, they're going to let you know when there are issues."

Smith said that during his nine-year tenure as Chicago Bears coach, team leaders kept him in the loop for many issues that players handled themselves, while other issues were for him to address.

He had a pulse.

Likewise, Denver Broncos coach John Fox talked of creating an environment conducive to the team's mission to win - which undoubtedly includes supporting teammates.

"At the end of the day, you're dealing with young people," Fox said. "You're trying to help them grow."

There are some coaches and general managers who are often spotted in their locker rooms. I've seen it with Bill Belichick and Ron Rivera, like I saw it with Bill Parcells. And I've bumped into Baltimore Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome repeatedly in the locker room.

Carolina Panthers GM Dave Gettleman said, "Ron (Rivera) and I are constantly buzzing through that place all day long."

That's certainly not Philbin's reputation, and it sounds like he realizes something. "I'm going to be more vigilant," he said. "I'm going to be more visible and I'm going to have a better pulse."

Better late than never.

As the report detailed, Philbin got wind in May that Martin was in such despair that he helped facilitate treatment and engaged in discussions with the player's parents. That was a serious clue to keep a close watch.

The issues also included repeated, racially-charged insults directed at a Japanese-born assistant trainer.

"I would have hoped that I would have noticed some of the things," Philbin said. "I can tell you that I never turned my back. If I had heard this type of language or these type of acts being done, I would have intervened."

While Philbin will try to help the Dolphins move forward by setting standards that should have existed all along, he might have learned a valuable lesson.

An incident at a charity golf tournament in May 2012 resulted in a civil suit when Incognito was accused of molesting a female volunteer. The Dolphins decision not to cut ties with Incognito - whose previous contract contained a "one-strike" warning regarding conduct violations - backfired.

Although that decision also involved since-ousted GM Jeff Ireland, Philbin didn't deny his part. Incognito was fined $50,000 by the team. "Obviously," Philbin said, "there are many options that we discussed as any organization, what the best course would be and that's what we came up with."

The best course? And they came up with that?

No doubt, that choice let the cancer spread - and left the coach standing on the fault line.